Pumpkin Spice Trifle

This weekend, friends had us over to grill out delicious steaks. Very picture worthy, but that would have been a little weird... Whenever I get to bring a dessert I immediately begin daydreaming about all the rich and gooey prospects.  Treats I wouldn't usually make for just the 2 of us (well, not all the time anyways).

Pumpkin Spice Cake was the first to come to mind.  This recipe has a million variations, but the one I use is from Ruth, the RUF intern when I was in college.  Ruth was a dessert extraordinaire. She didn't just make brownies, she made brownies with symphony bars in the middle, or peppermint patties on top, or crack. I could go on.  The spice cake was a seasonal favorite, my roommates and I each made it at least once every Fall.  It is simple, and delicious. Even if you don't like pumpkin. Promise.  Usually the cake is topped off with cream cheese icing- end of story. This year I've had Paula Dean's trifle on the brain, so I decided to turn cake into trifle.

The Pumpkin Spice Cake is very simple. 1 box of Spice Cake, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup of milk and 1 can Libby's pumpkin. Just the pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix. Bake in a 9x13 on 350 F for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Thanks, Ruthie.



Let the cake cool completely, which should afford you enough time to lick the spoon*.



*No, I did not actually let my child lick cake batter containing raw eggs while on the floor... He just pulled it out of the dishwasher, I'm not sure what was on it.

Although, you should probably use this time to make the pudding. I used 1 large packet of cook and serve vanilla, after it was cooked I added in 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tea pumpkin pie spice.  Next time I'll use more pudding, and I'll use cream cheese pudding.  Maybe 1 big box and 1 smaller box.  Bottom line- it needed more pudding. I've put both options in the below recipe.

Once the cake has finally cooled, cut into cubes and layer 1/2 of it on the bottom of a pretty, clear bowl... This bowl was a wedding shower gift from M's high school friends, Kate & Carson. Isn't it fun?



Pour 1/2 the cooled pudding over the cake...



Then 1/2 the cool whip*, and repeat, beginning with the other 1/2 of the cake...

*I should have also used the large container of cool whip instead of the small, all adjustments are made in the recipe below.



2nd layer of pudding and cool whip...

(forgive some of my photos, I've been trying to shoot in manual mode and I am only successful some of the time)



Quick Roosta break before the finishing touches... excuse the quality, low light, ISO problems, a moving target... a myriad of excuses. Whatever- too cute to worry about.



Now to top it off, 1/2 bag of ginger snaps.



What a great cookie. I think it's the only one that boasts 5 cookies per serving.



I put whole cookies all along the outside, and then sprinkled crushed cookies all over the top.



Enjoy!



Click below for recipe

Pumpkin Spice Cake Trifle

Ingredients

• 1 box spice cake


• 1 can pumpkin


• 1/4 cup milk


• 1/4 cup vegetable oil


• 2 eggs


• 1 large box & 1 small box of cream cheese or vanilla pudding*


• 1 large container of cool whip


• 1/2 bag ginger snaps (approx 30 cookies)

Directions

1. Mix together first 5 ingredients, bake in 9x13 pan in oven preheated to 350F for ~30 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean).  Allow cake to cool.


2. Prepare pudding according to package directions, let cool. (use cook and serve, not instant)


3. Layer 1/2 the cake, 1/2 the pudding, 1/2 the cool whip and repeat.


4. Top with ginger snap cookies and pieces. refrigerate and serve cold.

*If using vanilla pudding- add 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tea pumpkin pie spice after pudding is cooked.  If you add the sugar and pumpkin spice to the cream cheese pudding- let me know how it turned out!